1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for routing containers of glass, glass-like material or plastics material from one conveyor belt to another. More particularly, the invention pertains to apparatus for routing items arriving on a first conveyor belt in a row at a comparatively high first speed to a second conveyor belt running at a lower second speed and at an angle to the first conveyor belt. The second conveyor belt carries away the containers in a row.
Transportation fingers arranged in and moved by a common drive member route each container from the first to the second conveyor belt. In the routing of the containers, the transportation fingers are guided on a continuously curved path which is concave with reference to the containers. Support means is provided to maintain each container on the continuously curved path.
2. Description of Related Art
In one known apparatus of this type (transfer apparatus type WT 650 of the company Ernst Pennekamp, Ho/ lker Feld 22, W-5600 Wuppertal 2, Germany) the drive member is formed as an endless chain whose working section is pushed by a driving chain wheel. Each transportation finger is connected fixedly with a stopping member of the support means to an L-shaped component. Each said component is connected to the chain by a trailing arm for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, with the arm having at its free end a curve roller arranged to run in a stationary curved track. The transportation fingers, by special shaping of the curved track, should pivot inwards into the container train at the input to the first conveyor belt and in the same way should pivot outwards out of contact with the containers after the delivery of the containers to the second conveyor belt. At the delivery end the chain is guided by means of a deflection chain wheel whose axis is adjustable for tensioning the chain in the direction of the second conveyor belt. Between the first and the second conveyor belts is mounted a stationary slide plate for the containers. The chain is driven at least approximately at the lower, second speed of the second conveyor belt. It is disadvantageous that each container, at least on the slide plate, is not located in a defined, reproducible position against its transportation finger and the associated stopping member. Thus, it cannot be guaranteed that the containers will reach the second conveyor belt in a uniform row and in constant distances from each other. Moreover, the periodic pivoting of the transportation fingers increases the cost and leads to wear.
In the customary way, a glass forming machine delivers newly formed containers to the first conveyor belt. For technical reasons, the containers are positioned on the first conveyor belt at a comparatively large distance from one another. The first conveyor belt runs at a comparatively high speed. Under these conditions, introduction of the containers into the subsequent annealing lehr can be problematic. It is therefore customary to route the train of containers from the first conveyor belt on to a second conveyor belt which runs at an angle of mostly 90.degree. thereto.
The second conveyor belt runs at a lower speed, so that the containers on the second conveyor belt are positioned at a smaller distance from each other. The containers are pushed into the annealing lehr from the second conveyor belt by a stacker which is known per se and which can handle a greater number of containers simultaneously. To permit the pushing movement to be performed in an orderly yet rapid manner without the risk of upsetting the containers, the spacing between the containers on the second conveyor belt should be alike and as small as possible. Moreover, the containers on the second conveyor belt should be arranged in a straight line as far as possible.
Previously known devices for routing the containers from the first to the second conveyor belt impart shocks to the containers. The transportation fingers of the devices circulate essentially at the lower speed of the second conveyor belt. This has the result that each container on the first conveyor belt initially runs against the trailing side of a transportation finger and in the later course of the routing movement is given a second shock by the leading edge of the subsequent transportation finger which then takes over the further transportation of the container. Moreover, as mentioned above, the redirecting is connected with a change of direction of the containers through mostly 90.degree.. Depending upon the type and shape of the containers, this leads to substantial or fairly substantial transverse and tilting forces which cause a lack of stability for the containers. Thus, during the routing movement and even shortly after this on the second conveyor belt, wobbling movements, rotational movements and swaying movements of the containers can be observed on the second conveyor belt. This has an overall negative effect on an orderly routing to and on the desired positioning of the containers on the second conveyor belt.
An apparatus of the type first mentioned above is also known from the published German patent application DE-OLS 2 002 150 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,353A. In both cases the drive member is formed as a roller chain. In DE-OLS 2 002 150 the roller chain is tensioned by a pressure plate pretensioned by tension springs, and the roller chain is arranged to slide along the pressure plate. In both cases a stationary slide plate is again arranged between the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt. The disadvantages are the same as in the case of the known apparatus first discussed above.
From DE 25 48 988 C3 and DE 27 52 193 A1 it is known to position a weighing belt between a supply belt and a delivery belt. The weighing belt runs at least approximately parallel to the active section of a belt-like routing device.
From DE G 91 14 766.2 U1 it is known to transfer stacks of print from one conveying track to another conveying track which is arranged at 90.degree. thereto while maintaining their orientation. This is accomplished by an inclined conveyor track having a plurality of conveyor belts extending parallel to one another.
From U.S. Pat. No. 3,470,998 A there is known an apparatus where the longitudinal movement of timber on a supply conveyor moving at high speed is changed into a transverse movement on a slower delivery conveyor which is arranged transversely thereto. A laterally movable slowdown conveyor brings the timber from the supply conveyor to the delivery conveyor.
From the German patent application published for opposition DE 1 296 576 it is known to provide mechanical delay members in conveyor belt installations with a branching off or angled routing with a small radius between the incoming conveyor belt and the outgoing conveyor belt where these delay members entrain the conveyed goods during the routing operation with a speed which is reduced as compared to that of the conveyor belts.
From DE 33 40 088 A1 there is known an apparatus for the pressure-less reshaping of a broad multi-channel flow of bottles into a single channel stream of bottles. Suppliers and deliverers extend at 90.degree. to each other. Parallel to the delivery belt and adjacent to it are arranged conveyor belts of an intermediate conveyor driven with decreasing speed. The intermediate conveyor is inclined downwards towards the output conveyor in order to achieve a transportation component for the bottles which is transverse to the direction of delivery.
From DE 25 08 275 A1 it is known to arrange a routing end of a delivery conveyor between a lower run and an upper run of a supply conveyor.
From DE 34 26 713 C2 is known an apparatus for the channeling out of bottles transported on a linear conveyor belt. Next to the conveyor belt is arranged a circulating driven carrier with individually actuatable strikers. Each striker is radially displaceable when it is coupled to a stationary curved guide. By this means bottles which are faulty are displaced onto an adjacent belt which is parallel to the conveyor belt.
From DE 38 11 394 A1 there is known an apparatus by means of which the distance between containers which are moved in a row can be changed. A hub is rotatably drivable and forms a slide guide for spokes. Each spoke on its outer side carries an entrainer which is guided by a guide so that its radial distance from the hub changes periodically during its circulation.